In visiting sites such as theme parks, historical cites, zoos and/or other locations with attractions, shows, displays, rides and or other things of interest such as particular shows, the individuals visiting the site may have trouble locating the items of interest which may be spread out over an unfamiliar geographic area. Similar problems occur when an individual visits a site for an event such as a wedding, concert or even funeral.
Often small paper maps showing landmarks are handed out to visitors to facilitate their movement while at an event or site. However, visitors often find such maps difficult to use for a variety of reasons. One reason is that a visitor often has difficulty determining his/her location at the site on the map. Another problem is that particular things of interest may not be fixed to a particular location, e.g., because the thing of interest moves around at the site. Examples of things of interest that may move include costumed characters as well as moveable vending carts. For example, while rides, animal exhibits and/or theaters may be at fixed locations costumed characters may move throughout a theme park and/or vending carts may be positioned at different locations during different portions of the day based on expected foot traffic in an area.
It would be helpful if methods and/or apparatus could be developed which could be used to help visitors find things of particular interest, including locating moving things of interest such as costumed characters and/or navigate around a site being visited.
While locating things of interest at a site, some of which may move throughout a day, visitors also seek to obtain information about things of interest. It would be desirable if there were methods and/or apparatus which could help visitors locate and navigate to one or more items of interest at a site.
While finding a thing of interest while visiting a site presents one set of challenges, individuals often like to document a visit to a site such as a theme park or collect mementos of a visit. While in some cases the mementos are physical items such as a printed photo book or physical pins, in the current electronic age individuals are often happy to collect electronic mementos of a visit to a site such as a theme park, zoo and/or historical site. For example, visitors, especially children, visiting a theme park may seek to collect signatures of costumed characters they meet at theme park and/or photos of characters they encounter. Photos may be take with the costumed character and, optionally, sold to the visitor as a memento.
Unfortunately, not only may a visitor have trouble locating a costumed character at a theme park they may also have trouble getting close enough to get the costumed character's signature due to crowds, long lines or other reasons. Accordingly, a visitor to a park seeking to collect signed photos of various costumed characters may have difficulty obtaining one or more signed photos even though they may get close enough to see the costumed character. In addition, while a child might be willing to wait in a long line to get a signed photo of a costumed character, the parent and/or friends with the child might not be so willing to wait.
It would be desirable if a way of providing a signed photo or other memento of a character could be provided to a visitor in proximity to a customer character without requiring the visitor to wait in a long line and/or have physical contact with the visitor.
While providing information about the location of items of interest and providing of mementos can be important, it is also desirable to encourage repeat visits to a theme park or other site to encourage further exploration and/or use of the facilitates.
Accordingly, not only is it desirable to provide current information and mementos of a visit to a site such as a historical site or theme park it would also be desirable if methods and apparatus could be developed which would allow for the communication of information about future events at the site or which would encourage repeat visits to the site, e.g., months or years apart from an initial visit.
In view of the above, it should be appreciated that there is a need for methods and/or apparatus which could address one or more of the above discussed problems.